This way of aging ale results in a unique, complex flavour, which varies from one type of barrel to another. Quadrupel can be conserved for many years, and is a real treat for true ale enthusiasts. And this is yet another ale that continues to ferment after bottling, while its rich taste and high tannin content are likely to even surprise many a wine drinker!

User Reviews

Reviews by Frothboss:

5/5 rDev +19%look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Looks rich in color, bronze cant see thru it. Smells like caramel apple pie. Taste is complex....has a bitter bite sorta like sour apple and coffee with honey and a tangy aftertaste. I would definitely drink another...its one of my favorites. A great addition to any cellar.

12.7 oz. bottle. Corked and caged. So far, the hardest cork I've had to pry out. I had to use a pair of pliers.

Look: Gentle Pour yielded hardly any head. I'm used to Quads producing a descent amount of head, hence the gentle pour. Lacing remains around the beer after sitting for 20 minutes. When held up to the light, this beer is a medium to light color brown, with quite a bit of sediment. Very foggy. 4.25

Smell: An amazing smelling beer. Tons of vanilla and oak. Dark fruits like figs and raisins are prevalent. I'm also getting a lot of tobacco from the oak. A slight burn in the nose from the 10%. Lovely smelling beer. 4.75

Feel: Slightly thick for a quad, which doesn't bother me a bit. Not much carbonation. 4.5

Overall: It's a great beer. I'm glad I got the opportunity to try it. I will say that the $17.99 I paid for the beer is not something I would be willing to put down again. But I don't regret it. Definitely going to be towards the top of my list of Belgian Quads. 4.5

Appearance: Pours a murky brown color. The head is less than a finger high, and off-white in shade. There isn't much head retention, nor is there a lot of lacing on my glass. (2.75)

Smell: Oh wow, the oak barrel is so buttery and so vivid. I've never really sampled a brandy barrel-aged brew before, but I really like the additional apple notes I'm picking up here. In fact, I pick up everything from all the barrels - brandy, sherry, port, and standard oak. Some of the base quad notes appear after opening up a little (figs, raisins, and cherries). All told, this is a beautifully delicate yet complex brew. (4.5)

Taste: The oak barrel creates a gentle sensation throughout the flavor profile, initially subsumed by the base quad's dark fruit flavors. More dark fruit flavors appear on the finish - mainly port-esque - with subtle touches of toasted oak appearing. I also get some flavors of chocolate, brown sugar, and caramel throughout. It's hard to explain, but this beer is just so mind-bogglingly complex that it's hard for me to explain everything going on here. Let's just say that - like the nose suggested - I can subtly pick up each barrel used in this offering. I get a little brandy, a little sherry, and a little red wine. This is just so big in all the right ways: there's so much going on here, and yet this beer isn't ridiculous or over-the-top. (4.25)

Mouthfeel: It's quite full-bodied and rich...yet the finish is quite dry. Still, despite the dryness, it's very much a slow sipper. There's so much going on in the flavor profile that I don't want to drink this easily. It's a bit boozy, though not particularly bothersome. What surprises me is how low the carbonation is - if it weren't so naturally dry, then it WOULD be bothersome. The fact that it isn't syrupy is a testament to the sheer brewing skill shown off here. (4.25)

Overall: This bottle was worth a LOT of money ($17!) - however, I can safely say that was utterly worth it. The barrel aging adds so much to the base quad without detracting in any facet. In particular, the complexity is wonderful. Trust me, a little bit of this will go a long way. Just plain fantastic. (4.5)

We are very lucky to acquire batch #3 of this project. Over 50 percent of the barrel-aged blend comes from port barrels, and the rest is aged on other variations of toasted oak. Being that we are fond of the traditional Quad, this is a real treat all around. With results like this, we hope this project does not see delay.

Batch #7 (the first of the Whiskey barrel aged batches), Blended in June 2011, consumed in June 2015.

The regular La Trappe Quad is one of my favorites of the style. This was $15 for a 12oz bottle, and was apparently aged entirely in used Whiskey barrels. Poured into a La Trappe chalice, there was absolutely no head on it. Not sure the whiskey barrels did it any favor. I cannot detect any of the flavor of the Quad itself, that having been swamped out by peat and smoke, in both flavor and aroma. The alcohol is well masked, but leaves a pleasant warming sensation on my tongue/throat.

Presented with another chance to purchase a bottle from Batch #7, I'd probably pass it up. However, other batches look more interesting, and the base quad is always pleasant.

Batch 22 - matured on German Single Malt barrels: dark ruby pour, clear. A fine-grained tan coloured head with good retention, that gives way to a sticky lacing. Smells of caramel, dark fruit, cherry brandy, whiskey and alcohol. The taste is bitter-sweet, with notes of dried fruit (figs, dates, raisins, prunes) caramel, a bit of vanilla, red wine and whiskey. Soft body, medium to high carbonation and a sweet aftertaste. The single malt whiskey is quite present in this beer, from aroma to taste and to mouthfeel. I am quite a fan of whiskey, so I enjoyed this.

Wow. I love this beer. It is very complex with quite a few subtle flavors and smells.

A - Dark amber color with a small lingering head.

S - Nice light aroma that almost seems to have hints of what smells like bourbon and vanilla. Very complex, but the smell of alcohol almost overwhelms any other scent.

T - WOW!!! Here is by far where this beer stands out to me. If I could rate above a 5 I would. So many subtle flavors. A previous post described it as "flowery" and "deceptive taste that would have me think I was drinking a beer with half the alcohol" and I agree despite the fact that I have a different batch. Definite woodiness, caramel, vanilla, and bourbon flavors. Alcohol is not overwhelming, but provides just enough warmth while drinking. I am having trouble being more descriptive than this, but it is just such a complex flavor.

M - Almost creamy. But a little bit over carbonated in my opinion. Great afterfeel.

O - One of my favorite beers I have had. Wonderful complexity to this beer!!!

Dark orange, auburn, and light brown. Very thin khaki head and this looks somewhat thin, especially for a quad. Dotted lacing down the glass. Unexpectedly unimpressive...

...though that's where the bad news ends...this is one fantastic beer!

A complex and divine aroma. The base beer stands out marvelously--dark fruits (figs, plums, dates, candied cherries), along with caramel, freshly baked bread, Belgian yeast tang--and then the earthy and woody aromas inch their way to the forefront. Tremendous.

A sweet and woody, though complex, quad. This beer is divine. The earth and vanilla from the oak is an excellent combination to the somewhat sweet, bready, tangy, and fruity quad. The dark fruits and bread are certainly this beer's magnificent base, but the Belgian yeast and oak add another fantastic layer.

Thin to medium bodied, though with high carbonation. A joy.

A tremendous oak-aged version of a fantastic quad. I would love to try this one again...and again...and again...